Late Wednesday afternoon, the council voted to approve a large light-rail-transit-related purchase; to set the dollar amounts it will get in 2011 from the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) for transit capital projects; and to OK the tax levy amount it can collect for debt service on future transit bonds.

The Metropolitan Council this week provided a roadmap for its transit activities and intentions for the rest of this year and into the future.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the council voted to approve a large light-rail-transit-related purchase; to set the dollar amounts it will get in 2011 from the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) for transit capital projects; and to OK the tax levy amount it can collect for debt service on future transit bonds.

Most expensively, the council Wednesday voted to approve spending $153.2 million for 41 “low-floor light rail vehicles” from the Sacramento, Calif.-based Siemens Transportation Systems, Inc. – a U.S. subsidiary of the German firm, Siemens Industry Inc. (It was a voice vote, with no audible objectors.)

A total of 31 of the vehicles will be used to provide 13 pairs of cars (and five spares) used on the Central Corridor light rail transit line (CCLRT) in time for the $957 million, 11-mile line to open for business in 2014.

The other 10 cars will be used to accommodate a new three-car train service that will start next month for the existing Hiawatha LRT, where “demand continues to increase,” according to Mark Furhmann, deputy general manager of Metro Transit.

The first of the new 41 vehicles will arrive here at the end of 2012. “Engineering and testing” to make sure the vehicles work well and properly usually takes two years, Furhmann said.

The order also includes “an option” for as many as 58 low-floor LRT vehicles for potential “fleet expansion for Central Corridor, Hiawatha and [the] future Southwest LRT,” council documents say.

The Met Council chose Siemens out of four manufacturers who late last month submitted “best and final offer” proposals to the council – and chose Siemens because it offered the “best value approach,” considering both cost and technical issues, the documents show.

Siemens’ total cost proposal of $153,211,516 is within the CCLRT’s budgeted amount of $154,094,820 and so was considered “fair and reasonable,” according to the documents.

In addition, the Met Council on Wednesday approved applying for $132.7 million in grants from the CTIB for six different transit projects. Applications are due to CTIB by Sept. 10.

The Legislature created CTIB in 2008 in order to provide five counties (Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington) with a dedicated source for capital and operating dollars for transit projects in the five participating counties.

In addition, the Met Council approved its proposed 2011 budget of $760 million and its proposed 2011 total tax levy of $76.2 million.

Out of that $76.2 million, more than half or $42.2 million is related to existing or expected transit debt service.

The council also approved a $15.1 million tax levy for debt service on future general obligation transit bonds. This tax levy is payable in 2011, and is necessary “to fund principal and interest payments on said bonds during the period from February 2, 2011 to February 1, 2012,” according to council documents.

The levy money will be used to help pay for “transit service expansion” in the cities of Columbus, Forest Lake, Lakeville and Maple Plain.

The council had previously approved $27.1 million for debt service on existing transit bonds.